Wood Grilled Shrimp & Scallops

One the best parts of summer is grilling. And grilling doesn’t just have to mean burgers and steaks. Seafood is fantastic on the grill too. Red Lobster Senior Executive Chef Michael LaDuke shares his tips for perfectly grilled shrimp and scallops, along with a signature recipe.

Grilling Tips

• To grill shrimp, place them on a skewer, one on top of the other. Watch them closely, because they will cook quickly.
• To grill scallops, place them on a skewer with the flat side up. This allows them to pick up more flavors from the grill.
• If using wooden skewers, soak them overnight in water so they do not ignite on the grill.
• Several red wines pair perfectly with grilled seafood, such as Sutter Home Cabernet Sauvignon.

Wood Grilled Shrimp & Scallops with Fresh Lemon Butter

Grilled shrimp and scallop skewers served over fresh asparagus and couscous with a light lemon butter drizzle; serves 4.

Image: Red Lobster

Ingredients

• 16 ea. jumbo shrimp, cleaned
• 16 ea. jumbo sea scallops
• Sea salt (to taste)
• Black pepper (to taste)
• 1 Lb. fresh asparagus (trimmed)
• ¼ C. lemon butter (softened)
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil 1 ea. fresh lemon (halved)
• 2 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley
• 2 C. couscous (favorite packaged variety)

Lemon Butter:

• 1 C. butter (cut into ¼” slices)
• 2 ea. lemon
• ¼ C. lemon juice (fresh if possible)
• ¼ C. white wine Sea salt (to taste)

Preparation

Fresh Lemon Butter:
1. Zest two lemons, being careful not to cut too deeply. Peel remainder of lemon, and remove individual sections.
2. Place lemon zest, lemon segments, juice and white wine in small skillet, and bring to a simmer.
3. Allow liquid to reduce by ½.
4. Turn heat down, and stir in butter a few slices at a time. Keep the heat just hot enough to melt butter and not separate butter.
5. When butter is completely melted, place contents in covered container and refrigerate.

Shrimp and Scallops:
1. Prepare packaged couscous per instructions. Leave in pan covered until ready to serve.
2. Place lemon butter in sauce pan on low heat, and reserve for later use. Do not allow to simmer or boil as butter will separate.
3. Season shrimp and scallops with sea salt and black pepper.
4. Place shrimp and scallops on hot grill and cook approximately 2-3 minutes per side, using caution not to burn.
5. At the same time as cooking seafood, add asparagus to lower heat portion of the grill, season with salt, and carefully grill. Use caution not to burn or overcook.
6. To serve, place couscous on plate and top with asparagus. Arrange shrimp and scallops on plate.
7. Drizzle lemon butter lightly over dish, and garnish with fresh lemon and chopped parsley.

For more informaiton on grilling seafood at home, check out this two part how-to video.

Images and information, courtesy of redlobster.com/kitchen